Sometimes life events transpire that
make us turn our face in awe to the invisible realm and wonder at the
intelligence that abides there. I have two examples to share; one
that I read last week in a news report, and my own recent experience.
The Guardian ran a story titled, WorldCup: Dream told John Brooks he would score USA winner against Ghana.
In the report, we learn about a
young soccer player for team USA, only 21 years old, who never had
played in an official match and was a second-string player, who had a
dream two days before the first world-cup match against Ghana, that
in the 8oth minute of the match he scored a header goal from the
corner of the field that won the game. Two days later in the real
game, against all odds, he scored the winning goal exactly as his
dream had prophesied—a header from the corner in the 86th
minute. We have to ask ourselves, where did this prior intelligence
of future events come from?
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| Strawbearer, Mixed-media on board, 60 x 36 inches |
My own
personal experience occurred several days ago. I was in my art
gallery when mid-morning, a woman walking her dog breezed in. She was
dressed casually, not wearing make-up, and though I try not and judge
people as to whether they are art buyers or lookers, I thought
certainly, she is a looker out for a stroll. She barely spent five
minutes in the gallery, lingering longer in one room. We said
good-bye and she disappeared. I quickly forgot about her and went
about doing some menial work, but as I worked, a song came into my
head and I could not get it out from my brain. The song is Hey Jude, by the
Beatles, and it practically screamed in my ears. Fifteen minutes
later the lady with her dog arrives again, this time with her husband
trailing behind. We all went to an artwork called Strawbearer, an
unusual piece I made a couple years ago that I have shown
sporadically, and have always been fond of. It is from a photograph I
made in India, when I was traveling between cities by car and spotted
a person carrying an immense bundle of straw on his head and
shoulders. Although I was moving and he was walking, I snapped the
shutter and got a dreamily blurred picture of a fantastic scene. Much
later, in my studio, I printed the image as a large format picture on
canvas, mounted it on board, covered the surface with encaustic
(beeswax and resin heated into a liquid medium) and put straw into
the surface while it was still hot, so that when it cooled everything
remained intact and secure.
The
woman and husband took measurements, and she gave me her contact
information to e-mail her a photo of the work and
possibly take it to her home for a trial installation.
They left, and when I looked at the card, noticed her name—Jude. To
make a long story short, I took Strawbearer to their home, helped
hang it in their living room and two days later, Jude and her husband Lynn bought it.
If I
pay attention, I can see a clue had been given in advance of the main
event.